The Federal Government is set to launch a second Operation SAFE CORRIDOR Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) camp in the North-West, aimed at persuading low-risk terrorists and bandits to abandon violence and reintegrate into society.
The initiative, which builds on the success of the first centre established at Mallam Sidi in Gombe State, seeks to transform former combatants into productive citizens.
Major-General Adamu Garba Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre at the Office of the National Security Adviser, announced the plan while hosting a delegation from the Alliance de Sahel—representing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—on a study tour of the current centre. Laka highlighted that the deradicalisation program, first introduced in the Nigerian Correctional Service in 2015, has expanded nationwide with nearly 3,000 graduates benefiting from its approach.
“The programme aims to deradicalise, rehabilitate and reintegrate low-risk members of terrorist groups, remoulding them into better citizens of the nation,” he explained. Laka underscored the critical role of international cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, noting collaborative operations among Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin Republic under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Multinational Joint Task Force.
Meanwhile, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda affirmed his administration’s commitment to counter-terrorism, stressing that while his government would not actively pursue terrorists for negotiations, it remained open to welcoming those who voluntarily renounce violence. Speaking at a N50 million community empowerment programme in Jibia Local Council, Radda said, “We will not seek out terrorists in the forest to negotiate. However, if they voluntarily surrender, renounce violence, and choose to become law-abiding citizens, we are open to reintegrating them into society.”
This multifaceted approach—combining state-led deradicalisation programmes with robust international cooperation and community empowerment—is aimed at fostering long-term stability and peace across Nigeria and the broader Sahel region.
